Buddy May 2026

Buddy Magazine
Celebrating Texas rock heritage – past, present, and future.

Don Henley Reflects on Texas Roots, Solo Struggles, Eagles' Farewell, and Legacy.

In a candid interview with Buddy Magazine — the Original Texas Music Magazine — Eagles co-founder Don Henley opens up about the band’s final tour stop in Arlington, his deep East Texas upbringing, dream collaborations, and hard-won lessons from a legendary career.

Conducted in Nashville ahead of the Long Goodbye tour’s conclusion at Globe Life Field on May 17, 2026, the piece blends nostalgia, pragmatism, and reflection.

Local guitarist Chris Holt (who played on Henley’s Cass County) joins for his first hometown Eagles performance. Only Sphere residencies in Las Vegas remain. At nearly 79, Henley plans to ease off touring in 2026 due to health issues like tinnitus, prioritizing family, grandkids, and environmental causes such as the Walden Woods Project and protecting Caddo Lake.

The article highlights Henley’s longstanding relationship with Buddy, including a 1980 letter where he ordered subscriptions for himself, Glenn Frey, and J.D. Souther. He appeared in major interviews in 1984–85 during his post-Eagles solo transition.

This connection ties directly to the vibrant Dallas-Fort Worth rock scene of the era, particularly through Buddy Magazine’s historic affiliation with KZEW-FM “The Zoo” (1977–1978). That influential station’s legacy is preserved today by THE ZOO KZEW RADIO PROJECT — a passionate effort rooted in the same North Texas soil where Henley’s story began. Linden sits roughly 150 miles east of Dallas, placing Henley’s rural East Texas roots squarely in the broader orbit of the DFW music ecosystem that Buddy and The Zoo helped amplify.

Henley recounts feeling “adrift, rudderless, and depressed” after the Eagles’ 1980 breakup until teaming with Danny Kortchmar. Their debut I Can’t Stand Still (1982) featured the breakthrough “Dirty Laundry” and a gospel-reggae take on “The Unclouded Day,” honoring his grandmother.

He reflects on MTV’s impact — especially the groundbreaking “The Boys of Summer” video — and contrasts the high-pressure 1970s Eagles era with more deliberate later work. A reissue of One of These Nights includes unearthed live tracks from Bernie Leadon’s final show and Joe Walsh’s debut.

Texas influences permeate his story: rural freedom near Linden and Sulphur Springs, gospel baptisms, borderland blues from Lead Belly’s region and Shreveport radio, early bands, and Dallas memories at venues like The Cellar and Studio Club. He praises Deep Ellum’s legacy and recalls collaborations with Louise Goffin, Axl Rose, Randy Travis, and Roger Waters.

Henley also discusses executive-producing a PBS Thoreau documentary with Ken Burns and ongoing battles against threats to Caddo Lake. Additional notes cover his gear preferences, the SiriusXM Eagles channel, and pride in bandmates Deacon Frey and Vince Gill.

The interview portrays Henley as a grounded Texas original — shaped by gospel, blues, and hustle — who helped define American rock while championing preservation. His story resonates strongly with Buddy’s pages and the enduring spirit of The Zoo, both of which chronicled and fueled the very North Texas rock scene that nurtured his early path from Linden to the world stage.